When choosing tea, select green and black varieties, which have the most antioxidants. Ginger tea is also an excellent choice, since ginger has specifically been found to improve blood flow. It is considered a vasodilator, which means it widens blood vessels and thus enhances blood flow.
“Black tea has cardio-protective benefits that can improve blood vessel function and blood flow,” says Mintz. He also notes this is due to polyphenols and flavonoids, antioxidants found in plants like tea lives, which research suggests can help prevent cell damage, reduce inflammation, and improve cholesterol levels.
But circulation can get worse for a number of reasons, including conditions like deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and peripheral artery disease (PAD), or weight gain and age. When your circulation isn't working the way it should, some parts of your body may not get the nutrients they need.
Circulatory herbs like Rosemary, Ginkgo leaf, Gotu kola and Butcher's broom can help strengthen blood vessel walls and capillaries, reduce inflammation and swelling, and improve blood flow. These herbs are best taken in a therapeutic dose as a liquid tincture, tablet or capsule.
Compounds in green and black tea relax blood vessels by activating ion channel proteins. A new study from the University of California, Irvine shows that compounds in both green and black tea relax blood vessels by activating ion channel proteins in the blood vessel wall.
Benefits: Oolong tea is like a hybrid of the previous older teas: It has the second-highest caffeine level (after black tea) and the second-highest antioxidant levels (after green tea). Like black and green tea, it may reduce clot formation and help lower cholesterol.
Ginger tea, one of the most popular herbs, has many health benefits: It helps improve blood circulation, alleviate respiratory problems, relieve nausea, fight stomach inflammation, among many others.
Best for overall health: green tea
When it comes to tea, green tea gets the gold. “Green tea is the champ when it comes to offering health benefits,” says Czerwony. “It's the Swiss Army knife of teas. It covers a lot of territory.”
Bai guo (Ginko biloba) – According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, ginkgo biloba can help improve blood circulation. Dan Shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) – This well-known blood-moving herb is used to treat a wide variety of complaints related to poor circulation from angina to menstrual cramps.
Incorporating herbs like garlic, fennel, and hawthorn into your diet can have multiple benefits for the heart including lowering cholesterol levels, reducing blood pressure, preventing clot formation and improving circulation.
Magnesium acts as a natural calcium channel blocker and has been suggested to modulate vasomotor tone and peripheral blood flow. Preclinical studies demonstrated a protective role of magnesium on vascular calcification,8, 9 which may in turn lead to reduced arterial stiffening.
Start doing daily stretching, exercises, or yoga to increase blood flow. Do aerobic or cardio exercises to get your blood moving and your heart rate up. Wear compression stockings to encourage the blood to move from your legs back up to your heart. Eat a healthy diet to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
Cold hands and feet can be a result of iron deficiency anemia. People with anemia have poor blood circulation throughout their bodies because they don't have enough red blood cells to provide oxygen to their tissue.
Trans fats, saturated fats, excess salt, and added sugars can all negatively impact circulation. Eating a healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, oily fish, and nuts may help improve circulation. Exercising regularly, staying hydrated, and avoiding smoking also help improve circulation.